GLOBE40
Closing gap expected among the leaders
After a successful rounding of Cape Horn last weekend, the competitors in the 5th leg of the GLOBE40 have begun a challenging ascent of the South Atlantic. Large areas of calm, sudden low-pressure systems from the Andes Mountains, and unpredictable weather make the difficulties of this region well known. 400 miles northeast of the Falkland Islands, the fleet of classic Class40s, known as “pointus” boats, is currently facing a strong low-pressure system from the southern part of the continent. Winds of 56 knots were recorded last night on WILSON, 61 knots on BARCO BRASIL, and 60 knots on FREE DOM; the skippers are encountering a rather unforgiving Atlantic. This situation, expected to last at least another 24 hours, is putting a strain on the crews and boats, despite their already hardened condition since departing from Lorient and Cadiz last autumn.
The competition continues unabated, and once again the GLOBE40 seems intent on playing out a scenario only it knows how. After holding a lead of up to 600 miles in the first week following the departure from Valparaiso, the crew of CREDIT MUTUEL now has only 235 miles in the 6:00 AM European Time (05:00 UTC) rankings. And according to the skippers of the French boat themselves, and based on routing data, this lead is set to shrink in the coming days; as early as next weekend, the two contenders are expected to be neck and neck again at close range, according to forecasts. Indeed, a new zone of calm and unpredictable winds is opening up ahead of Ian Lipinski and Antoine Carpentier, while BELGIUM OCEAN RACING – CURIUM, for its part, is taking advantage of the current low-pressure system to devour the miles at high speed. It’s a tough scenario and a source of great stress for the leading boat, having to revisit the tension of the last few legs where every mile had to be fought for.
The competitors in the second edition of the GLOBE40 are now expected in Recife around March 15th, a destination discovered during the first edition when the race inaugurated the new Recife Marina and was welcomed by the Cabanga Iate Club de Permanbuco. They still have 2,000 miles to go before reaching “the Venice of Brazil,” the capital of the state of Pernambuco. The arrival of the Brazilian competitor BARCO BRASIL, currently leading the rankings of the traditional fishing boats, is sure to generate excitement among the Brazilian public and media.
